Pelargonium plant named &#39;Duepelsabrey&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Duepelsabrey’, characterized by its relatively compact and upright plant habit; moderately freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; semi-double red purple-colored flowers with lighter red purple-colored centers and margins; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEPELSABREY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum, commonlyreferred to as Zonale Geranium, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Duepelsabrey’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Kako, Ethiopia and De Lier, TheNetherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create newfreely-branching and freely-flowering Pelargonium plants with attractiveleaf and flower coloration.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in July, 2012 in Koka, Ethiopia of a proprietary selectionof Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 60042, not patented,as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection ofPelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 88842, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Pelargonium plant was discoveredand selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in De Lier, The Netherlands in July, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands since August, 2013 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Pelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duepelsabrey’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Duepelsabrey’ as a new and distinctPelargonium plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Moderately freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Semi-double red purple-colored flowers with lighter red        purple-colored centers and margins.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in flower petal color as plants of the female parentselection have red-colored flower petals.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in flower petal color as plants of the male parentselection have pink-colored flower petals.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants ofPelargonium×hortorum ‘Tex Mex Fire’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plantsof ‘Tex Mex Fire’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium have larger flower petals than        plants of ‘Tex Mex Fire’.    -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium and ‘Tex Mex Fire’ differ in        flower petal color as plants of ‘Tex Mex Fire’ have red        purple-colored petals without lighter-colored margins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Pelargonium plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Duepelsabrey’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Duepelsabrey’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the winter and early spring in12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, TheNetherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial ZonalePelargonium production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 17° C. and night temperatures averaged 14° C.Plants were 15 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken.In the detailed description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×hortorum ‘Duepelsabrey’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 60042, not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×hortorum identified as code number 88842, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About ten days at            temperatures about 19° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About 18 days at temperatures about 19° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            creamy white in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching, medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit.—Relatively compact and upright plant habit;            densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous growth            habit; moderate growth rate; moderately freely basal            branching habit.        -   Plant height, to top of floral plane.—About 18 to 21 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 21 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14.3 cm. Diameter: About            1.2 cm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength: Moderately            strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Pubescent. Color:            Close to 143B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.1 cm.        -   Width.—About 6.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 136A; venation, close to 136A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to N138B; venation,            close to 138B. Zonation pattern: Not discernible.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Semi-double round flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils;            umbels displayed above the foliar plane on strong peduncles;            flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 32            flowers and flower buds per umbel and numerous umbels            developing per plant during the flowering season.        -   Flowering season.—In The Netherlands, flowering is            continuous from spring through the summer; early flowering            habit, plants begin flowering about eight weeks after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 5.6 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 11.2 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4 cm by 5.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to N57B.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About            2.9 cm. Width: About 2.1 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Round.            Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to N57A; towards the base and            margins, close to 67D; venation, close to N57A; main color            becoming closer to N66C with development. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 65A; venation, close            to 65A; color does not change with development.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About three to five. Length:            About 8.1 mm. Width: About 2.6 mm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:            Round. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 65A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 65A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 8.5 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Shape:            Ensiform. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 139B.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 9.2 cm. Diameter: About            3.7 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: Mostly upright.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 139B.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 4.7 cm.            Diameter: About 1.6 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle:            Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            139B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About five. Filament length: About 5.1 mm. Filament color:            Close to 65A. Anther length: About 9 mm. Anther shape:            Oblong. Anther color: Close to 60A. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 9 mm. Stigma shape:            Decurrent. Stigma color: Close to 60A. Style length: About            4.5 mm. Style color: Close to 60A. Ovary color: Close to            145C.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development has not been            observed on plants of the new Pelargonium.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Pelargonium plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to 45° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named‘Duepelsabrey’ as illustrated and described.